ORIGIN OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN GEOLOGISTS 85 



the second survey and proved the honesty and ability with which the 

 work had been performed. 



The Association of American Geologists 



But geology was becoming too broad in scope and its workers too 

 numerous to be embraced in a merely local societ}^, even though the 

 list of correspondents was as large as that of the active members. The 

 work in Massachusetts was approaching completion ; that in New Jersey 

 had been completed ; the surveys of Maine, Connecticut, New York, 

 Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, and Indi- 

 ana had been begun, and before 1840 New Brunswick, Rhode Island, and 

 Kentucky were added to the list. Several of these surveys had large 

 corps of workers pushing their studies with all the enthusiasm of a new 

 calling. In the Appalachian region of Massachusetts, New York, Penn- 

 sylvania, and Virginia serious problems were encountered, which could 

 not be solved within the compass of a single state. A right understand- 

 ing of the work done in one state was necessar}^ to a right understanding 

 of the work done in the adjoining state. Correspondence proved a fail- 

 ure; incidental or casual talks led to misunderstandings; systematic 

 conference was necessary, with generous contribution b}^ each of his 

 knowledge to the other. 



On April 2, 1840, as the result of a conference held at Albany in 1839, 

 eighteen geologists met at the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, and 

 organized the Association of American Geologists, with Professor Ed- 

 ward Hitchcock as the first chairman. Among them were the state 

 geologist of Massachusetts, six geologists of the New York survey, six 

 of the Pennsylvania survey, two of the Michigan, and three not connected 

 with any public work. Mr Martin H. Boye is the only survivor of the 

 eighteen. The succeeding meetings in Philadelphia and Boston were 

 attended by many geologists, of whom onl}^ Boye, 0. P. Hubbard, and 

 J. P. Ijcsley remain. A volume published in 1843 contains several 

 papers which made a deep impress on American geology. In it are the 

 five great memoirs on Appalachian conditions by the Rogers brothers 

 Hall's noteworthy discussion of the Mississippi basin section; Hitch- 

 cock's elaborate discussion of the drift, as well as numerous contribu- 

 tions by other members. 



Professor Hall said on one occasion that the inspiriting effect of these 

 meetings could not be overestimated. As one of the youngest members, 

 he was impressed by the mental power of those great men, all untrained 

 in geology except Taylor, whose instruction under William Smith proved 

 advantageous in many Avays, but very disadvantageous in others, as it 



